Suspected militants killed a district judge and his security guard in an ambush in southwestern Pakistan on Thursday, officials said. The attack took place in Mastung, a district in Balochistan province, where insurgent violence against security forces and civilians has increased recently.

Judge Abdul Hakim Kakar was traveling from Quetta, the provincial capital, to Mastung to hear cases when his vehicle was attacked, according to Abdul Rauf, a local police chief. Both the judge and his security guard were fatally shot before the assailants fled the scene.

No organization has yet claimed responsibility for the attack. Authorities suspect Baloch separatist militants, particularly the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army, which has escalated violent operations across the region in recent months.

The incident reflects ongoing instability in Balochistan, where multiple armed groups have targeted government officials and security personnel amid demands for greater autonomy and political rights. Efforts to improve law and order in the province continue amid these persistent security challenges.